Bob Dylan at Budokan

1978 live album by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan at Budokan

Live album by

Bob Dylan

Released| 21 August 1978
Recorded| 28 February and 1 March 1978
Venue| Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan
Genre| Rock
Length| 99:41
Label| CBS/Sony
Producer| Don DeVito
Bob Dylan chronology
| Street-Legal
(1978)  | Bob Dylan at Budokan
(1978)  | Slow Train Coming
(1979)

|
|

Bob Dylan at Budokan is a live album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released August 1978 on Columbia Records in Japan only, followed by a worldwide release in April 1979. It was recorded during his 1978 world tour and is composed mostly of the artist's "greatest hits". The performances in the album are radically altered from the originals, using almost all the musicians who played on Street-Legal, but relying on a much larger band and stronger use of woodwind and backing singers. In some respects the arrangements are more conventional than the original arrangements, for which the album was criticized. For a few critics, such as Janet Maslin of Rolling Stone, the differences between the older and newer arrangements had become less important.[1]

## Recording and releases

[edit]

The audio recording is from shows on 28 February and 1 March 1978. Columbia Records released this double LP in Japan on 21 August 1978. Later that year, it was released in Australia and New Zealand. On 23 April 1979, spurred by extensive importing and at least one counterfeit European edition, Columbia released the album to worldwide markets.[2] The shows were the fourth and fifth in an eight-show appearance at Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

An expanded version of the album, titled The Complete Budokan 1978, featuring all of the songs on the original release in newly remixed and remastered form, and featuring 36 previously unreleased tracks, was released on 17 November 2023 by Columbia Records. This release comprises Dylan's Budokan concerts from 28 February and 1 March 1978 in their entirety. In a press release, chief engineer Tom Suzuki said of the remix: “We mixed the record with the keyword ‘passion’ in mind . . . The result is a mix that surpasses the original 1978 release, providing a crisper and clearer sound where each instrument and Bob Dylan’s voice are distinctly audible".[3]

## Reception and legacy

[edit]

Professional ratingsReview scores

Source| Rating
Allmusic| [4]
Christgau's Record Guide| C+[5]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music| [6]
Rolling Stone| [7]

Bob Dylan at Budokan reached No. 13 in the U.S. and went gold, while simultaneously peaking at No. 4 in the UK.

In a sarcastic review published in his "Consumer Guide" column, Robert Christgau gave the album a C+ rating, writing "I believe this double LP was made available so our hero could boast of being outclassed by Cheap Trick, who had the self-control to release but a single disc from this location".[5] Critic Jimmy Guterman named it one of the worst albums ever released in the history of rock.[8]

However, the album received stronger reviews in Europe, and critic Janet Maslin (then a music critic for Rolling Stone magazine) defended the album in her review. "The method here is hit-or-miss, and the results are correspondingly spotty", Maslin wrote. "The fire and brimstone are behind Dylan, [but] this hardly means the fight has gone out of him: Bob Dylan at Budokan is a very contentious effort—and, for the most part, a victorious one".[1]

NJArts' Jay Lustig called it the "least essential" of Dylan's three live albums of the 1970s but also noted that it allowed him to bring "some new nuances to his material" and cited "the slow, aching 'I Want You" as the standout track.[9]

Stereogum ran an article to coincide with Dylan's 80th birthday on 24 May 2021 in which 80 musicians were asked to name their favorite Dylan songs. Steve Gunn selected the Budokan version of "Shelter from the Storm", noting that "the delivery is declarative and minimal, holding a steady line and giving the song a different life than the original. There’s a new confidence, which gives one of my all-time favorite Dylan lines new resonance: 'I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form'. Dylan’s life is full of comeback waves, and the energy propulsing through this song is testament to his genius for looking deeper into his art".[10]

Despite its initial lukewarm reception, the album has developed a cult following over the years, with some commentators expressing admiration for its "innovative arrangements"[11] and referring to it as an "overlooked classic".[12]

## Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Bob Dylan; except where indicated.

Side oneNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Mr. Tambourine Man"| 4:54
2.| "Shelter from the Storm"| 4:30
3.| "Love Minus Zero/No Limit"| 3:52
4.| "Ballad of a Thin Man"| 4:47
5.| "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"| 4:55
Total length:| 22:58

Side twoNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Maggie's Farm"| 5:06
2.| "One More Cup of Coffee (Valley Below)"| 3:19
3.| "Like a Rolling Stone"| 6:31
4.| "I Shall Be Released"| 4:12
5.| "Is Your Love in Vain?"| 4:02
6.| "Going, Going, Gone"| 4:22
Total length:| 27:32

Side threeNo.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "Blowin' in the Wind"|  | 4:25
2.| "Just Like a Woman"|  | 5:03
3.| "Oh, Sister"| Bob Dylan, Jacques Levy| 4:44
4.| "Simple Twist of Fate"|  | 4:15
5.| "All Along the Watchtower"|  | 3:20
6.| "I Want You"|  | 2:34
Total length:| 24:21

Side fourNo.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "All I Really Want to Do"| 3:37
2.| "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"| 4:00
3.| "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)"| 6:04
4.| "Forever Young"| 5:38
5.| "The Times They Are a-Changin'"| 5:31
Total length:| 24:50

## Personnel

[edit]

* Bob Dylan – vocals, guitar, harmonica
* Steve Douglas – saxophone, flute, recorder
* Steven Soles – acoustic guitar, backing vocals
* David Mansfield – pedal steel guitar, violin, mandolin, dobro, guitar
* Billy Cross – lead guitar
* Alan Pasqua – keyboards
* Rob Stoner – bass guitar, backing vocals
* Ian Wallace – drums
* Bobbye Hall – percussion
* Debi Dye, Jo Ann Harris, Helena Springs – backing vocals

### Production

[edit]

* Don DeVito – production
* Tim Charles – monitor mixer
* Val Lane – sound technician

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

1979 chart performance for Bob Dylan at Budokan | Chart (1979)  | Peak
position

|

Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] | 7
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[14] | 6
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] | 24
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[16] | 3
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[17] | 2
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[18] | 4
UK Albums (OCC)[19] | 4
US Billboard 200[20] | 13
2023 chart performance for Bob Dylan at Budokan Chart (2023)  | Peak
position

|

German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[21] | 15
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] | 13

### Year-end charts

[edit]

| Chart (1979)  | Position

|

Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[23] | 24
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[24] | 63

## Certifications

[edit]

Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[25] | Platinum  | 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[26] | Gold  | 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[27] | Gold  | 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Sounes, 2001, Down The Highway: The Life Of Bob Dylan, pp. 314–316.
2. ^ Fraser, Alan. "Bob Dylan At Budokan 1978". www.searchingforagem.com. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
3. ^ "Bob Dylan Announces New Complete Budokan 1978 Live Album". Pitchfork. September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
4. ^ Allmusic review
5. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: D". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved February 24, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
6. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
7. ^ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "Bob Dylan". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Fireside. p. 262\. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
8. ^ Guterman, Jimmy (1991). The worst rock-and-roll records of all time : a fan's guide to the stuff you love to hate. Owen O'Donnell. Secaucus, NJ: Carol Pub. Group. ISBN 0-8065-1231-8. OCLC 23693787.
9. ^ "Bob Dylan: Favorite songs from each album of the '70s (WITH VIDEOS)". NJArts.net. May 8, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
10. ^ "80 Artists Pick Their Favorite Bob Dylan Song". Stereogum. May 24, 2021. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
11. ^ "Bob Dylan shares 'The Man in Me' live in Budokan, 1978". faroutmagazine.co.uk. September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
12. ^ Simister, Paul (April 11, 2012). "Bob Dylan At Budokan 1978". The Best Live & Studio Albums. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
13. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan At Budokan" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan At Budokan" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
15. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan At Budokan" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
16. ^ "Charts.nz – Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan At Budokan". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
17. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan At Budokan". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
18. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan At Budokan". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
19. ^ "Bob Dylan | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
20. ^ "Bob Dylan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan at Budokan" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
22. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Bob Dylan – Bob Dylan at Budokan". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
23. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1979". austriancharts.at. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
24. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1979". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
25. ^ "MILLION DOLLAR BASH" (PDF). Cash Box. May 17, 1986. p. 35. Retrieved December 9, 2021 – via World Radio History.
26. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Bob Dylan – Live at Budokan". Music Canada. Retrieved March 7, 2021.
27. ^ "American album certifications – Bob Dylan – Live at Budokan". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 7, 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Bob Dylan

* Discography
* Awards
* Bibliography
* Songs written by Dylan
* Bob Dylan songs based on earlier tunes
* Bob Dylan cover songs
* 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature

Studio albums|

* Bob Dylan
* The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
* The Times They Are a-Changin'
* Another Side of Bob Dylan
* Bringing It All Back Home
* Highway 61 Revisited
* Blonde on Blonde
* John Wesley Harding
* Nashville Skyline
* Self Portrait
* New Morning
* Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
* Dylan
* Planet Waves
* Blood on the Tracks
* The Basement Tapes
* Desire
* Street-Legal
* Slow Train Coming
* Saved
* Shot of Love
* Infidels
* Empire Burlesque
* Knocked Out Loaded
* Down in the Groove
* Oh Mercy
* Under the Red Sky
* Good as I Been to You
* World Gone Wrong
* Time Out of Mind
* "Love and Theft"
* Modern Times
* Together Through Life
* Christmas in the Heart
* Tempest
* Shadows in the Night
* Fallen Angels
* Triplicate
* Rough and Rowdy Ways
* Shadow Kingdom

Live albums|

| Contemporary|

* Before the Flood
* Hard Rain
* Bob Dylan at Budokan
* Real Live
* Dylan & the Dead
* The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
* MTV Unplugged

|

Archival|

* Live 1961–2000: Thirty-Nine Years of Great Concert Performances
* Live at The Gaslight 1962
* Live at Carnegie Hall 1963
* In Concert – Brandeis University 1963
* The 1966 Live Recordings
* Bob Dylan – The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings
* The Complete Budokan 1978
* The 1974 Live Recordings

Compilations|

| Hits|

* Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits
* Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Vol. II
* Masterpieces
* Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume 3
* The Best of Bob Dylan (1997)
* The Best of Bob Dylan, Vol. 2
* The Essential Bob Dylan
* The Best of Bob Dylan (2005)
* Dylan
* The Very Best of Bob Dylan

|

Themed|

* Dylan
* The Basement Tapes
* Blues

Box sets|

* Biograph
* Bob Dylan: The Collection
* The Original Mono Recordings
* The 50th Anniversary Collection
* Bob Dylan: The Complete Album Collection Vol. One
* The 50th Anniversary Collection 1963
* The 50th Anniversary Collection 1964
* 1970

The Bootleg Series|

* Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991
* Vol. 4: The Royal Albert Hall Concert
* Vol. 5: Bob Dylan Live 1975, The Rolling Thunder Revue
* Vol. 6: Bob Dylan Live 1964, Concert at Philharmonic Hall
* Vol. 7: No Direction Home: The Soundtrack
* Vol. 8: Tell Tale Signs: Rare and Unreleased 1989–2006
* Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos: 1962–1964
* Vol. 10: Another Self Portrait (1969–1971)
* Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete
* Vol. 12: The Cutting Edge 1965–1966
* Vol. 13: Trouble No More 1979–1981
* Vol. 14: More Blood, More Tracks
* Vol. 15: Travelin' Thru, 1967–1969
* Vol. 16: Springtime in New York 1980–1985
* Vol. 17: Fragments – Time Out of Mind Sessions (1996–1997)

Bootlegs|

* From Newport to the Ancient Empty Street in L.A.
* Great White Wonder
* List of Basement Tapes songs
* 1967
* 1975

Concert tours|

* England Tour (1965)
* World Tour (1966)
* Isle of Wight Festival (1969)
* Tour with the Band (1974)
* Rolling Thunder Revue (1975–1976)
* World Tour (1978)
* Gospel Tour (1979–80)
* European Tour (1984)
* True Confessions Tour (1986)
* Tour with the Grateful Dead (1987)
* Temples in Flames Tour (1987)
* Never Ending Tour
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* Rough and Rowdy Ways World Wide Tour (2021–2024)

Films|

* Dont Look Back
* Eat the Document
* Renaldo and Clara
* Hard to Handle
* The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration
* MTV Unplugged
* Masked and Anonymous
* No Direction Home
* I'm Not There
* soundtrack
* 65 Revisited
* The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan Live at the Newport Folk Festival 1963–1965
* Trouble No More – A Musical Film
* Rolling Thunder Revue
* Shadow Kingdom
* A Complete Unknown (soundtrack)

Writings|

* Tarantula
* Writings and Drawings
* Chronicles: Volume One
* The Philosophy of Modern Song

Books about Dylan|

* The Bob Dylan Encyclopedia
* Bob Dylan, Performing Artist
* Invisible Republic
* Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan
* The Cambridge Companion to Bob Dylan
* Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine
* Dylan Goes Electric!

Family|

* Sara Dylan (first wife)
* Carolyn Dennis (second wife)
* Jesse Dylan (son)
* Jakob Dylan (son)

Related|

* Recording Sessions
* The Band
* Traveling Wilburys
* Electric Dylan controversy
* Artists who have covered Dylan songs
* Joan Baez
* Suze Rotolo
* Helena Springs
* The Telegraph magazine
* Festival
* The Concert for Bangladesh
* Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
* Hearts of Fire
* Highway 61 Interactive
* Theme Time Radio Hour
* Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan
* Chimes of Freedom (album)
* The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams
* Lost on the River: The New Basement Tapes
* Bob Dylan Center

* Category

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

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